Graduation Photography: How to Survive the Rest of the Year

If you have decided to make a career out of graduation photography,
then you may be experiencing a lot of financial difficulties during the
rest of the year. Graduation is a seasonal career choice, so you need
to be adaptable and turn your hand to other camera work if you get the
opportunity. Deciding to choose graduation photography means that you
might be available to cover other events which are also seasonal, or you
may want to do more general work in a photography studio. Whatever you
choose to do, you will need to gain experience in other fields so you
can continue to earn money outside of graduation season.

Seasonal Work

When graduation is out of season, you may be able to make a living by
photographing other seasonal events. As with graduation, there are
other times when people may be eager to be photographed. Christmas is
one such time when companies or societies might decide to have group
photographs taken, and there can be a lot of interest from potential
clients if you advertise in local newspapers. You might also offer local
businesses a reduced rate for their employees in order to attract
customers. Valentine's Day is also another seasonal job which can
attract a lot of attention. Once you begin to look around, you may find
that more and more seasonal options are available to you.

One-Time Jobs

Another option, if you want to start increasing your income during
the off-season, is to take on one-time only jobs, such as baby or
maternity shoots. This could even be fitted around your graduation
photography shoots during that season, as all that you would need to do
is work out dates in your planner. These one-time events mean that you
can organize sessions around other work, such as graduation day, or any
festival that you choose to photograph. This kind of work will often
mean a lot of travel, so make sure that you begin to advertise when you
have enough money to cover all of your expenses.

Between Graduations

Being a graduation photographer means that you can have a
significantly reduced income during the rest of the year, and if you are
dedicated to having a career in photography, then you will need
to use other options. These can include other seasonal photography, or
you can attract people by offering one-time sessions. Baby photography
is one example of the latter which can earn you enough money to keep
going while you are waiting for graduation to come around again. Doing
this extra work might not earn you a fortune, but you will be able to
keep a roof over your head, and maybe invest in some new photography
equipment when you need it.